Specific violent acts and threats directed at Wisconsin farmers and the UW-Madison research centers have ignited national concerns, prompting Washington to pass a bill to increase protection for scientists and farmers against animal activists.
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill last Monday to give more protection to scientists, medical researchers, farmers and any other industry involving animals. The bill will expand the current Animal Enterprise Terrorism statute to focus on the use of violent tactics against these individuals.
U.S. Rep. Tom Petri, D-Wis., who proposed the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act, cited incidents in Wisconsin as evidence of the need for more protection. Some animal rights activists in Wisconsin use tactics such as death threats, vandalism, animal releases and bombings to advance their cause, according to Petri's statement.
Jean Barnes, director for the Primate Freedom Project, defended her fellow animal rights activists and said they would not harm animals or people, and said the real criminals were lawmakers like Petri.
Tom Thieding, executive director for Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, affirmed the need for increased enforcement measures against animal rights groups.
Because Wisconsin is the leading state in the Mink industry, Thieding said mink farmers face threats of ""terrorism"" daily.
""Animal rights extremists have really escalated their attacks on farmers, including harassment [to the point] where they feel threatened for their lives,"" Thieding said.
Lindsay Bowers, a spokesperson for Petri and a UW-Madison researcher, who testified during judiciary committee hearings in May, said she feared researchers were going to leave the field because of threats made against their labs as well as their homes.
Barnes, however, said little progress from animal testing has been made since Alzheimer's has been discovered, citing her own mother's recent massive stroke and her father's battle with Alzheimer's. She pointed her finger at for lawmakers knowing little of what happens in labs or homes across the United States.
""If [Congress] thinks that animal research helped people like my mother and her husband, then I'd like to invite them down to spend the weekend with me to change adult diapers,"" she said.
However, one lawmaker said the biomedical field and scientific breakthroughs could be prevented if scientists choose to leave the country.
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., co-sponsor of the Senate bill, said she hopes the law will ensure important animal enterprises like biomedical industries stay in the United States ""rather than go to India or China,"" in a statement.
According to Barnes, this bill is an assault on the first amendment and enforces the status quo.
""I think the real problem here is the people who have introduced this bill. They have absolutely no respect for the first amendment,"" Barnes said. ""I think the people who have put this law into place have done a great disservice to our country ... they certainly don't care about the truth.""
